Rethink Mental Illness
Community Support Volunteer
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At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe everyone deserves understanding, connection, and the chance to live a fulfilling life. Our volunteers play a vital role in supporting people affected by mental illness and helping create communities where no one feels alone.
About the role
As a Community Support Volunteer you will:
- Complete face-to-face befriending activities with service users.
- Travel around the locality in which you live.
- Commit to a minimum of 1/2 a day (3-4 hours) of volunteering per week on a flexible basis, with the option to increase.
- Work alongside our team of community link workers.
- Attend different community events to advertise the service.
There will be full training opportunities to ensure that you are successful in your volunteering role, as well as regular check-in meetings.
About the service
The Empowering Minds Gloucestershire Service currently run group sessions for service users across Gloucestershire. Our team is dedicated to delivering a high-quality service that focuses on supporting individuals to achieve their recovery goals. The aim is to improve the lives and support independence for those living with a mental illness. The team will engage with other local providers to ensure a clear and seamless pathway for those that require support from multiple providers.
What will make you a great fit for this role?
It’s essential to have the following:
- Lived experience of mental illness, whether that is caring for someone else or yourself.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Flexibility.
- Experience of working with people in some way, whether formally through employment or informally working as part of a team.
- Basic computer skills.
- Reliability and good timekeeping.
- A good understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding.
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Although it’s not essential, you may also have:
- Experience of supporting someone with ill mental health / mental illness.
- Good knowledge of your local area and organisations.
How to apply
To apply, please click the “apply now” button and complete a short interest form. You will have the opportunity to upload a CV and/or cover letter however, this is not mandatory.
A member of the team will review your application and be in touch to update you on the next steps. If your application is successful, you will be invited to take part in an informal volunteer discussion.
If you have any questions about the role or would like to find out more before applying, please contact the volunteer manager: Beth Morris – Beth.Morris@rethink.org
Who are we?
We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”
It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of becoming a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement. We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.
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